Men’s Soccer Opens 2012 Season with Mike Gibbs Tournament

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Second-year North Florida men's soccer coach Derek Marinatos unveils his 2012 Osprey squad with a pair of home games at Hodges Stadium this weekend. UNF hosts Siena at 8 p.m. Friday before facing Georgia State at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Both games are part of the the Mike Gibbs Memorial Tournament.

The match against Siena will mark the season opener for both teams, while Georgia State will open the 2012 season against Jacksonville.

Last season, the Ospreys underwent a rebuilding season under first-year head coach Derek Marinatos. However, with a core group of returners and a solid nucleus of newcomers, the men's soccer team is looking to improve upon the 2011 season. This season UNF welcomes 10 newcomers to the team to compliment 12 returners, including six starters.

After its final preparation for the regular season, North Florida named Luis Daniel Camejo, Grady Trimble and Brad Sienkiewicz captains for the 2012 season.

The meeting between the Ospreys and the Saints marks the first time the two teams will meet on the soccer pitch. UNF has squared off against GSU five times with the series tied 2-2-1.

Scouting the Opposition:
Siena: After finishing last in the league a year ago, the Siena men's soccer team is expecting a bounce back year in 2012. The Saints were picked fifth in the annual Preseason Coaches' Poll released by the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference league office. Senior back Jannis Opalka was selected to the Preseason All-MAAC Team.

Georgia State: Georgia State and Jacksonville will be meeting for the 24th time in series history with the last matchup taking place in 2007 (3-0 GSU win). The Dolphins own a slight lead in the series with 11 wins and two ties vs. Georgia State. GSU capped its preseason with a 1-0 win vs. Southern Poly in an exhibition match last Sunday. This year's training camp saw the Panthers travel nearly 300 miles off-campus to Jekyll Island for preseason training prior to two exhibition matches.

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